Coimbatore police turn to solar power to save on electricity bills

The plan is to supply the solar power energy to the state power utility Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (Tangedco) and save on the electricity bill.A Subburaj | TNN | October 23, 2016, 08:18 IST

COIMBATORE: In a bid to curb high spending on electricity bills, the city police have installed solar power panels with a capacity to produce 45 kilowatt electricity at the police commissioner's office here to achieve self-sufficiency in energy production and save the exchequer's money.

The plan is to supply the solar power energy to the state power utility Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (Tangedco) and save on the electricity bill.

Presently, the city police pay anywhere between 1.20 lakh and 1.40 lakh a month in electricity bills. After commencing the solar energy production, the bill amount is likely to come down to anywhere between 50,000 and 60,000 a month, said sources.

The city police have a three-phase connection in the city police commissioner A Amalraj's office. The compound has a five-storeyed main building and around four other buildings. The state power utility charges it under the commercial electricity tariff.

The five-storeyed main building houses police officials' rooms and also various other important sections. If available information is anything to go by, the main building alone consumes electricity worth 1.05 lakh a month.

"We have enough space on the terrace and installed the solar power panels there. They have the capacity to produce 45 kilowatt electricity. We will commence generating power after obtaining approval from the Tangedco," said city police commissioner A Amalraj.

The solar energy, he said, will be supplied to the Tangedco. "We have fixed a net metering system to monitor our consumption of electricity and also the solar energy produced and transmitted to the state power utility. We will deduct the electricity charges based the quantity of energy we produce and transmit to the Tangedco," Amalraj added.

The police officials are confident of bringing down monthly electricity bill to anywhere 50,000 and 60,000 after commencing solar energy production. Amalraj said they have plans to install more solar panels in other buildings on the campus.

"We won't store the electricity produced from the solar panels in batteries. We plan to directly supply it to the Tangedco. The scheme costs us 40 lakh and the fund was allocated from the Coimbatore South MLA funds," said another police officer.